Automatic disappearing sprinkler



July 31, 1956 H. NULLET AUTOMATIC DISAPPEARING SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1955 Lewis H. Nu/lef INVENTOR.

BY Wally 15 m July 31, 1956 L. H NULLET AUTOMATIC DISAPPEARING SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14, 1955 AW u Wm N M MM m L w United States Patent 2,757,045 AUTOMATIC DISAPPEARING SPRINKLER Lewis H. Nullet, Deer Park, Wash.

Application March 14, 1955, Serial No.- 494,113

4 Claims. (Cl. 299--61) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in sprinklers for use in fields and more particularly to an automatic disappearing sprinkler to I be recessed in the groundwhennot in use.

An important object of this invention is to providea vertically slidable sprinkler actuated .by waterpressure and enclosing the sprinkler in a protective casing embedded in the ground and including a cap closing the top of the casing and which is opened and closed by the raising and lowering movements of the sprinkler.

Another object of the invention is to equip the underside of the cap with a substantially V-shaped raising and lowering arm disposed in the path of raising and lowering movement of a disk mounted on top of the sprinkler to open and close the cap and embodying a construction whereby the sprinkler may be raised substantially above the cap to sprinkle a field in all directions.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is eflicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the sprinkler in its recessed protected position below the surface of the ground;

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the sprinkler raised in operating position;

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Figure l, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the casing and showing the anchoring flanges at the bottom thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates an elongated casing preferably constructed of non-corrosive metal and having outwardly projecting flanges 6 at one end for anchoring the casing in a vertical position in the ground and with the upper end of the casing substantially flush with the surface thereof. The top of the casing is closed by a preferably dome-shaped lid or cap 7 connected to the upper portion of the casing by a hinge structure 8 for swinging the lid or cap vertically in an opening or closing movement.

A substantially V-shaped member 9 is secured to the underside of the lid or cap 7 adjacent the hinged edge thereof to provide a lifting arm 10 and a lowering arm 11 arranged in downwardly diverging relation with respect to each other when the lid or cap is closed.

A sprinkler of a conventional construction and suitable for sprinkling a relatively large area of a field is designated generally at 12 and is secured adjacent the upper end of l a pipe 13 and is vertically slidable in the upper end of a. cylinderv 14 positioned centrally in ;the .casingSsand .con-. nected atiits' lowerend to. a supplypipe ISembeddediin the ground under. the casing. Upper and lower i'cup washersiare suitably-secured to thelower portion .orspipe 13in tvertically spaced relation :.thereon .ito provideu pistons havingta working fitin the cylinder and constructed: to function :as upper and lower guides .to maintainxthe :pipe 13 in. a perpendicular position while the pipe-13. 'is raised and.-.lowered in-thezcylinder 14. The top of cylinder 14 isclose'drby, a cap .18 through whichthe pipe l-3..is.-slidable and which functions :as-a-stop :enga'geableby'the upper cup washer orpiston-16 to limit upwardrmovernent for .the pipe. 13.

Theasprinkler includes -a:.deflect0r .22 supported :by a coil spring 23 on an upstanding post 24 above the outwardlyextending nozzles" .of the sprinkler: andia' i disk. or other suitable annular member 25.is secured to the upper end-:of post 24 above thedeflector byta nut 26'. threaded .onthe post.

.Thepipe 13-is:raised.=and lowered in :the cylinder 14 by water pressure admitted to the cylinder from the supply pipe 15 and which forces the cup washers or pistons 16 and 17 upwardly in the cylinder. With the lid or cap 7 in its closed position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the upward movement of the pipe 13 will raise the disk 25 into engagement with the upper lifting arm 10 and swing the lid or cap 7 into open position, as shown in Figure 2. The pipe 13 is constructed of sufiicient length to elevate the sprinkler 12 above the raised lid or cap 7 to effectively sprinkle a relatively large area of a field.

When water pressure is cut off in the supply pipe 15 the pipe 13 will gravitate in the cylinder 14 to lower the sprinkler and disk 25 and when the lid or cap 7 is in its raised position the lowering arm 11 will be disposed in the path of lowering movement of the disk 25 for engagement by the latter to close the lid or cap 7 whereupon the sprinkler will be recessed in a protected position in the casing 5.

After the lid 7 has been raised by disk 25 and arm 10, the lid is held in its raised position by a horizontal support 27 which is secured to pipe 13 in a position to closely underlie the arm 11 when the sprinkler has been raised, as shown in Figure 2. The support 27 prevents the lid from being swung downwardly by wind or otherwise accidently lowered.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An automatic disappearing sprinkler comprising an elongated casing recessed in a vertical position flush with the surface of the ground, a vertically swingable hinged lid attached to the top of the casing, a V-shaped arm attached to the underside of the lid and including a lid raising arm and a lid lowering arm, a pressure actuated vertically movable sprinkler head enclosed in the casing to project upwardly above the casing by water pressure supplied to the sprinkler head and for retracting into the casing when pressure thereto is cut off, means carried by and positioned above the sprinkler head and engaging said lid raising arm to open the lid upon an initial raising movement of the sprinkler head, and means carried by and positioned below the sprinkler head and subsequently engaging said lid lowering arm to hold the lid open, said first named means engaging the lid lowering arm upon a downward movement of the sprinkler head to close the lid.

2. An automatic disappearing sprinkler comprising an elongated casing recessed in a vertical position flush with the surface of the ground, a vertically swingable hinged lid attached to the top of the casing, a V-shaped arm attached to the underside of the lid and including a lid raising arm and a lid lowering arm, a pressure actuated vertically movable sprinkler head enclosed in the casing to project upwardly above the casing by water pressure supplied to the sprinkler head and for retracting into the casing when pressure thereto is cut off, a disk supported in a horizontal position on top of the sprinkler head and engaging said lid raising arm to open the lid upon an initial raising movement of the sprinkler head, and means carried by and positioned below the sprinkler head and subsequently engaging the lid lowering arm to hold the lid open, said disk engaging the lid lowering arm upon a downward movement of the sprinkler head to close the lid.

3. An automatic disappearing sprinkler comprising an open topped casing recessed in a vertical position flush with the ground surface, a vertically swingable lid hinged to the top of the casing, a lid raising arm and a lid lowering arm attached to the underside of the lid, a pressure J I a actuated vertically movable sprinkler head enclosed in the casing to project upwardly above the casing by water pressure supplied to the sprinkler head and to retract into the casing when pressure thereto is cut 015?, means carried by and positioned above the sprinkler head and engaging said lid raising arm to open the lid upon an initial raising movement of the sprinkler head, and means carried by and positioned below the sprinkler head and subsequently engaging said lid lowering arm to hold the lid open, said first named means engaging the lid lowering arm upon a downward movement of the sprinkler head to close the lid.

4. The construction of claim 3 and wherein said last named means comprises a support carried by the vertically movable sprinkler and raised thereby into a position underlying the lid lowering arm to maintain the lid in its raised position when the sprinkler is raised.

Cathcart Apr. 8, 1913 Parker Mar. 19, 1918 

